Information transmission device for construction machine

ABSTRACT

An information transmitting device to supply operation data of a machine as needed and without unnecessary data. The information transmitting device includes information control device  4 , remote base station  9 , transmission means, e.g. communication satellite  6 , and selected data outputting means for selecting and transmitting predetermined operation data from operation data collected. Information control device includes operation data collecting unit  4   a  and communication control unit  4   b  which includes transmitting and receiving parts. Selected data outputting means includes operation data selecting device  9   e  (external operating device  12 ) and, in information control device  4 : identifier designating unit  4   c  for designating an identifier for selected operation data, identifier memory unit  4   d , and transmission data preparing unit  4   e  for reading operation data, which correspond to an identifier designated by identifier designating unit  4   c , from operation data collecting unit  4   a , and preparing operation data for transmission.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an information transmitting system for aconstruction machine such as a hydraulic excavator, which transmitsoperation data, which have been obtained as a result of various work bythe construction machine, to a base station arranged at a remote place.

BACKGROUND ART

As a conventional technique of this type, there is, for example, thetechnique disclosed in JP-A-11024744. According to this conventionaltechnique, a construction machine is provided with sensors for detectingoperation states, an operation data collecting device for collectingoperation data detected by the sensor, and a communication device andantenna for transmitting the operation data collected in the operationdata collecting device. The communication device includes acommunication unit. Also disclosed are a base station for receivingsignals, which have been outputted from the communication device, via acommunication satellite, for example, and user equipment connected tothe base station via a communication line. The base station is arrangedat a place remote from the construction machine, and the user equipmentis such that can directly receive the operation data of the constructionmachine via the antenna arranged on the construction machine.

According to this conventional technique, the operation data collectedby the operation data collecting device are transmitting in theirentirety to the base station or the user equipment. By the base stationor the user equipment, the operation data of the construction machineare controlled and can be retrieved by a user as needed.

With the above-described conventional technique, various operation dataof the construction machine which is performing work can be obtained bythe base station at the remote place or by the user equipment. Theseoperation data can be used, for example, for predicting a maintenanceschedule for the construction machine, predicting a replacement scheduleto a new construction machine, and providing the customer of theconstruction machine with information on the construction machine.

When the construction machine is a hydraulic excavator or the like, forexample, the operation data include an extremely wide variety of data,that is, data based on operating pilot pressures such as digging time,traveling time and swinging time, data based on a main hydraulic circuitsuch as pump load, swing load and travel load, data relating to anengine such as operation time, coolant temperature and fuel level, dataassociated with working oil such as working oil temperature andexistence or non-existence of filter clogging, position data indicatingan actual position of the construction machine, and data on the use of aspecial attachment, such as a breaker or crusher, mounted uponperforming special work.

The conventional technique is high in communication cost, because ittransmits the above-mentioned various data in their entirety, forexample, to the base station via a communication satellite or to theuser equipment by using a telephone line. When transmission is performedvia the communication satellite, for example, the communication cost isthe product of the size of data and a unit price per byte. When thetelephone line is used, on the other hand, the communication cost is theproduct of time of transmission, which is determined depending upon thesize of data, and a unit price per unit time. Accordingly, thecommunication cost increases with the size of data to be transmitted.

For the user, on the other hand, such various data as mentioned aboveare not often required in their entirety. Further, necessary operationdata may differ depending upon the user.

The present invention has been completed in view of the above-mentionedcurrent circumstance of the conventional technique, and has as an objectthereof the provision of an information transmitting system for aconstruction machine, said information transmitting system being capableof supplying operation data of the construction machine as much asneeded by its user or the like without unnecessary data.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the above-described object, the present invention ischaracterized in that in an information transmitting system for aconstruction machine, said system comprising an information controldevice, which includes an operation data collecting unit and atransmission unit for transmitting operation data collected in theoperation data collecting unit, and to be mounted on the constructionmachine, a base station arranged at a place remote from the constructionmachine for being inputted with the operation data, and a transmissionmeans for transmitting the operation data, which are transmitted fromthe transmission unit of the information control device, to the basestation, the information transmitting system is provided with a selecteddata outputting means for selecting predetermined operation data fromthe operation data, which have been collected in the operation datacollecting unit of the information control device, and transmitting thepredetermined operation data; the selected data outputting meanscomprises an operation data collecting device for outputting a commandsignal to select the predetermined operation data, an identifierdesignating unit arranged in the information control device to designatean identifier for the specification of the operation data selected inresponse to the command signal outputted from the operation datacollecting device, and a transmission data preparing unit arranged inthe information control device to read operation data, which correspondto an identifier designated by the identifier designating unit, from theoperation data collecting unit and to prepare the operation data astransmission data; and the selected data outputting means comprises anidentifier memory unit arranged in the information control device tostore the identifier designated by the identifier designating unit.

According to the present invention constructed as described above, theselected data outputting means can select only operation data, which aredesired by a user, and can transmit them to the base station via thecommunication means.

In the above-mentioned construction, the selected data outputting meansmay comprise an operation data collecting device for outputting acommand signal to select the predetermined operation data; an identifierdesignating unit arranged in the information control device to designatean identifier for the specification of the operation data selected inresponse to the command signal outputted from the operation datacollecting device; and a transmission data preparing unit arranged inthe information control device to read operation data, which correspondto an identifier designated by the identifier designating unit, from theoperation data collecting unit and to prepare the operation data astransmission data.

In this construction, the selected data outputting means may comprise anidentifier memory unit arranged in the information control device tostore the identifier designated by the identifier designating unit.

Further, the operation data selecting device may be arranged at the basestation; and the information control device to be mounted on theconstruction machine may have a receiving part for receiving a commandsignal, which is outputted from the operation data collecting device ofthe base station, via a predetermined transmitting means.

As an alternative, the operation data selecting device may comprise aportable, external operating device connectable to the informationcontrol device to be mounted on the construction machine.

Further, each of the above-mentioned constructions may further comprisean operating device to be arranged on a side of a user, said operatingdevice being connectable to the base station via a communication meanssuch that the data transmitted to the base station can be read.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating the overallconstruction of one embodiment of the information communication systemaccording to the present invention for the construction machine.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting the construction of units making upan information control device arranged in the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a data pattern showing a data storage format for an operationdata collecting unit arranged in the information control device depictedin FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating components of a user's PC anda PC-associated device, which are arranged in the embodiment depicted inFIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a processing procedure uponselecting data in the information control device depicted in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a processing procedure upontransmitting data in the information control device depicted in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a data pattern showing output data available to the user whentype A data are selected.

FIG. 8 is a data pattern showing output data available to the user whentype B data are selected.

FIG. 9 is a data pattern showing output data available to the user whentype C data are selected.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The embodiment of the information transmitting system according to thepresent invention for the construction machine will hereinafter bedescribed based on the drawings.

A construction machine 1 shown in FIG. 1, such as a hydraulic excavator,is provided with various sensors 2 for detecting operation states of theconstruction machine 1, such as oil temperature sensors, angle sensors,engine speed sensor and operating switches; a controller 3 for beinginputted with signals detected by these sensors 2 and performingprocessing for the control of driving of the construction machine 1 andpreparing various operation data, both based on the values of thesesignals; and an information control device 4 for being inputted with theabove-mentioned operation data prepared by the controller 3.

As depicted in FIG. 2, the information control device 4 is provided withan operation data collecting unit 4 a which collects various operationdata of the construction machine 1 as outputted from the controller 3.As shown in FIG. 3, the operation data collecting unit 4 a has a memoryarea for operated dates of the construction machine 1 and identifierssuch as TN(1) . . . TN(K) and TD(1) . . . TD(K) as elements forspecifying various operation data, respectively, and is designed suchthat in combination with the individual identifiers, details of theircorresponding operation data are stored. Now assuming that an identifierfor engine operation time (unit: minutes) is TN(K), for instance, thedetails of operation data stored in connection with TN(K) at theoperation data collecting unit 4 a take, for example, the numerical formof 59, 792, and so on.

This information control device 4 further includes a transmitting unitfor transmitting operation data collected in the operation datacollecting unit 4 a, a receiving part for receiving a command signaltransmitted from the outside of the construction machine 1, aninput/output unit making up a connection unit with an external device,and a timer for clocking every day, i.e., 24 hours in minutes, forexample; and is provided with a communication control unit 4 b havingfunctions to perform logical decisions and operations, an identifierdesignating unit 4 c for designating the above-mentioned identifierscorresponding to various operation data, an identifier memory unit 4 dfor storing the identifiers designated by the identifier designatingunit 4 c, and a transmission data preparing unit 4 e for readingoperation data, which correspond to the identifiers stored in theidentifier memory unit 4 d, from the operation data collecting unit 4 awhen the timer contained in the communication control unit 4 b has hit apredetermined time, for example, 0:00 a.m., preparing them intotransmission data and supplying the transmission data to thecommunication control unit 4 b.

The transmission data, which have been prepared at the transmission datapreparing unit 43 and inputted in the communication control unit 4 b,are transmitted from an antenna 5 arranged on the construction machine1, for example, to a communication satellite 6 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, this embodiment is also provided with anoperation data selecting device for outputting a command signal toselect predetermined operation data, for example, a portable, externaloperating device 12 connectable to the communication control unit 4 b ofthe information control device 4 to be mounted on the above-mentionedconstruction machine 1 and also with a potable personal computer 8 intowhich operation data collected in the operation data collecting unit 4 aof the information control device 4 can be down-loaded. This portablepersonal computer 8 is carried as needed, and upon use, is connected tothe communication control unit 4 b of the information control unit 4.

The above-mentioned communication data, which have been delivered to theabove-mentioned communication satellite 6, are transmitted to an earthstation 7 and are further transmitted to a base station 9, for example,via a public line. On the other hand, the operation data down-loaded inthe portable personal computer 8 can be transmitted to the base station9, for example, via a public line.

The base station 9 is arranged, for example, inside the head office ofthe maker of the construction machine 1, said head office being locatedat a place remote from the construction machine 1, and is provided withan input and output units 9 a, 9 b, a central processing unit, i.e., CPU9 c for performing various logical decisions and processings, a database 9 d for storing the above-mentioned transmission data inputted fromthe input/output unit 9 a, that is, the operation data of theconstruction machine 1, and an operation data selecting device 9 e foroutputting command signals to select predetermined operation data.

In the above-mentioned data base 9 d, the communication data inputtedfrom the input/output unit 9 a, that is, the operation data of theconstruction machine 1 are stored in their entirety and in addition,three data patterns consisting of type A data, type B data and type Cdata are also stored as exemplary data patterns desired by the user.

The type A data include operation data on driving of the engine, forexample, an engine speed frequency histogram over 100 hours, operationdata on driving of a pump, for example, a pump load frequency histogrambased on pump delivery pressures over 100 hours, daily report data suchas operated minutes of the engine, and trouble data of the constructionmachine 1.

The type B data include data on working oil, for example, a working oiltemperature frequency histogram showing the frequency distribution ofworking oil temperatures over 100 hours, operation data on swingingoperation, for example, a swing load frequency histogram over 100 hours,operation data on traveling operation, for example, a travel loadfrequency histogram over 100 hours, daily report data such as operatedminutes of the engine, and trouble data of the construction machine 1.

The type C data include daily report data including data on fuel, forexample, fuel levels and data on positions of the construction machine1, for example, the latitudes and longitudes of positions where theconstruction machine 1 were located, and trouble data of theconstruction machine 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, for example, this embodiment is also providedwith a personal computer 10 at a branch office or a plant, said personalcomputer being connected to the input/output unit 9 b of the basestation 9, for example, via a leased line, and further with anotherpersonal computer 11 held by the user and connected to the input/outputunit 9 b of the base station 9, for example, via a public line.

As shown in FIG. 4, the personal computer 11 held by the user isprovided with an operating part, specifically a keyboard with keys 15,16, 17, 18 arranged thereon and also a display screen 19. When the key15 is pressed, the type A data stored in the data base 9 d of the basestation 9 are displayed on the display screen 19. When the key 16 ispressed, the type B data stored in the data base 9 d of the base station9 are displayed on the display screen 19. When the key 17 is pressed,the type C data stored in the data base 9 d of the base station 9 aredisplayed on the display screen 19. When the key 18 is pressed, theoperation data stored in the data base 9 d of the base station 9 can bedisplayed in their entirety on the display screen 19. A printer 13 isconnected to the personal computer 11.

The portable, external operating device 12, the identifier designatingunit 4 c, identifier memory unit 4 d, transmission data preparing unit 4e and communication control unit 4 b included in the information controldevice 4 arranged on the construction machine 1, and the operation dataselecting device 9 e, CPU 9 c and input/output unit 9 a included in thebase station 9—all of which have been mentioned in the above—make up theselected data outputting means for selecting and outputtingpredetermined operation data from the operation data collected in theoperation data collecting unit 4 a of the information control unit 4arranged on the construction machine 1.

On the other hand, the antenna 5 arranged on the construction machine 1,the communication satellite 6 and the earth station, all of which havebeen mentioned in the above, make up the communication means whichsupplies, to the input/output unit 9 a of the base station 9, operationdata transmitted from the communication unit contained in thecommunication control unit 4 b of the information control device 4.

Operation of this embodiment constructed as described above will bedescribed based on the flow charts shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Based on signals outputted from the sensors 2, various operation data ofthe construction machine 1 are prepared at the controller 3, and theseoperation data are collected in their entirety in the operation datacollecting unit 4 a via the communication control unit 4 b of theinformation control device 4 depicted in FIG. 2. Now assume, forexample, that work has been performed by the construction machine 1 for100 hours or longer and that an engine speed frequency histogram, a pumpload frequency histogram, a working oil temperature frequency histogram,a swing load frequency histogram, a travel load frequency histogram andthe like have been collected in the operation data collecting unit 4 a.Also assume that the communication control unit 4 has been setbeforehand such that, when the timer in the communication control unit 4hits 0:00 a.m., the timer is turned on to initiate data transmission.

Also assume, for example, that the portable, external operating device12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is connected to the communication control unit4 b of the information control device 4 on the construction machine 1and that the operating element of the external operating device 12, saidoperating element corresponding to the above-mentioned type A data, isoperated to output a command signal, which selects the type A data, tothe input/output unit of the communication control unit 4 b.

At the communication control unit 4 b of the information control device4, it is determined, as shown in step S1 of FIG. 5, whether or not anycommand signal has been inputted from the operation data collectingdevice (the portable, external operating device 12). If the commandsignal has been inputted, the routine advances to step S2. In this stepS2, processing is performed at the identifier designating unit 4 c todesignate identifiers (TN, TD, etc.), which are elements to specifyoperation data, on the basis of the command signal for selecting thetype A data, in other words, identifiers (TN, TD, etc.) relating to thetype A data. The routine then moves to step S3, in which the identifiersdesignated in the above-mentioned step S2 are stored in the identifiermemory unit 4 d.

When in a state with such processing having been performed, it becomes0:00 a.m. and the timer in the communication control unit 4 b is turnedon, the decision of step S11 in FIG. 6 becomes “YES”, and at thetransmission data preparing unit 4 e, processing is performed to preparetransmission data. Described specifically, processing is performed toread identifiers, which relate to the type A data and have been storedin the identifier memory unit 4 d, and to input them into thetransmission data preparing unit 4 e as shown in step S12 of FIG. 6. Asshown in step S13, processing is then performed to read the operationdata, which are contained in the type A data collected in the operationdata collecting unit 4 a, on the basis of the identifiers read in stepS11 and to input them into the transmission data preparing unit 4 e. Asindicated in step S14, the operation data contained in the type A dataare then delivered as transmission data to the communication controlunit 4 b.

The above-mentioned transmission data are sent to the communicationsatellite 6 via a transmitting section of the communication control unit4 b and the antenna 5 shown in FIG. 1, and are transmitted from thecommunication satellite 6 to the earth station 7. Further, thetransmission data are transmitted from the earth station 7 to theinput/output unit 9 a of the earth station 9, for example, via a publicline. At the earth station 9, the transmission data so inputted, thatis, the operation data contained in the type A data are stored in thedata base 9 d under control by CPU 9 c.

When the personal computer 11 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 and held by theuser is operated, for example, at the key 15 in the state that theoperation data contained in the type A data have been stored in the database 9 d as described above, the resulting operation signal is read inCPU 9 c via the input/output unit 9 b at the base station 9 illustratedin FIG. 1. The operation data contained in the type A data, saidoperation data having been stored in the data base 9 d, are read undercontrol by CPU 9 c, and the data are displayed on the display screen 19of the personal computer 11 via the input/output unit 9 b. When printingis instructed in this state, for example, the printer 13 is actuated sothat a sheet of printer paper, for example, with the type A datarecorded thereon as shown in FIG. 7 is printed out. In this manner, theuser can confirm the desired type A data on the construction machine 1.

Concerning the type B data and type C data different from the type Adata, similar operations and processings as mentioned above areperformed. When the key 16 or 17 of the personal computer 11 is operatedto perform printing operation with the type B data or type C datadisplayed on the display screen 19, for example, the printer 13 isactuated to print out a sheet of printer paper with the type B datarecorded thereon as shown in FIG. 8 or a sheet of printer paper with thetype C data recorded thereon as depicted in FIG. 9.

In the above description, the personal computer 11 held by the user wasoperated by way of example. When the personal computer 10 at the branchoffice or the plant is operated, desired one or more of the type A data,type B data and type C data can also be retrieved in a similar manner.

The above description was made about the processing as a result of eachselective operation of the external operating device 12 connectable tothe construction machine 1. However, operation of the operation dataselecting device 9 e also makes it possible to select specific operationdata.

When an operating element of the operation data selecting device 9 eshown in FIG. 1, said operating element corresponding to theabove-mentioned type A data, is operated to output a command signal,which selects the type A data, to CPU 9 c, signals corresponding to thetype A data are delivered to the earth station 7 via the input/outputunit 9 a and are then sent from the earth station 7 to the communicationsatellite 6. The signals are transmitted further from the communicationsatellite 6 to the antenna 5, and are then inputted into the receivingpart of the communication control unit 4 b of the information controldevice 4. Processing in the communication control unit 4 b at this timeis similar to that described above with reference to the flow chartsillustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Described specifically, the data contained only in the type A data areselected, transmitted to the base station 9 via the antenna 5,communication satellite 6 and earth station 7, and stored in the database 9 d of the base station 9. If the user operates the personalcomputer 11, for example, at the key 14 depicted in FIG. 4, the type Adata are hence displayed on the display screen 19 and can be printed outon a sheet of printer paper by the printer 13. In this manner, it isalso possible to transmit only operation data desired by the user to theearth station 9 by remote operation.

It is also possible, as needed, to connect the portable personalcomputer 8 illustrated in FIG. 1 to the information control device 4 andto down load operation data from the operation data collecting unit 4 ain which the operation data have been collected. In this case, theoperation data down loaded in the portable personal computer 8 may betransmitted, for example, to the base station 9 via a public line. As analternative, a floppy disk which as a recording medium, contains theoperation data stored therein may be carried to the base station 9, andoperation may then be performed to store the operation data, which arecontained in the floppy disk, in the data base 9 d of the base station9.

According to this embodiment in which transmission of operation data isperformed as mentioned above, the operation data collected in theoperation data collecting unit 4 a of the information control device 4of the construction machine 1 are not transmitted in their entirety butare transmitted only as much as needed by the user or the like. This hasmade it possible to avoid transmission of useless data and hence, toreduce the transmission-related communication cost. Accordingly, theabove-described embodiment can meet desires of the user or the like andmoreover, is excellent in economy.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the invention as described in any one of the claims,operation data of the construction machine can be supplied only as muchas needed by its user or the like without unnecessary data, in otherwords, the size of data to be transmitted can be reduced, so that thecommunication cost can be lowered than the conventional communicationcost and excellent economy can be assured.

1. An information transmitting system for a construction machine, saidsystem comprising an information control device, which includes anoperation data collecting unit for collecting various operation data anda transmission unit for transmitting operation data collected in saidoperation data collecting unit, and to be mounted on said constructionmachine, a base station arranged at a place remote from saidconstruction machine for being inputted with said operation data, and atransmission means for transmitting said operation data, which aretransmitted from said transmission unit of said information controldevice, to said base station, characterized in that: said operation datacollecting unit is provided with a memory area for storing operateddates and identifiers for specifying said various operation data,respectively, wherein details of said operation data are stored togetherwith their corresponding identifiers, said information transmittingsystem is provided with a selected data outputting means for selectingpredetermined operation data from said operation data, which have beencollected in said operation data collecting unit of said informationcontrol device, and transmitting said predetermined operation data; saidselected data outputting means comprises an operation data collectingdevice for outputting a command signal to select said predeterminedoperation data on a basis of a data pattern consisting of pluraloperation data, an identifier designating unit arranged in saidinformation control device to designate an identifier for thespecification of said operation data selected from said data pattern inresponse to said command signal outputted from said operation datacollecting device, and a transmission data preparing unit arranged insaid information control device to read operation data, which correspondto an identifier designated by said identifier designating unit, fromsaid operation data collecting unit and to prepare said operation dataas transmission data; and said selected data outputting means comprisesan identifier memory unit arranged in said information control device tostore said identifier designated by said identifier designating unit. 2.An information transmitting system according to claim 1, wherein: saidoperation data selecting device is arranged at said base station; andsaid information control device to be mounted on said constructionmachine has a receiving part for receiving a command signal, which isoutputted from said operation data collecting device of said basestation, via a predetermined transmitting means.
 3. An informationtransmitting system according to claim 1, wherein said operation dataselecting device comprises a portable, external operating deviceconnectable to said information control device to be mounted on saidconstruction machine.
 4. An information transmitting system according toclaim 1, further comprising an operating device to be arranged on a sideof a user, said operating device being connectable to said base stationvia a communication means such that said data transmitted to said basestation can be read.